Hat and art of making the same



Mar. 3, 1925.

G. H. CROFUT HAT -AND ART OF MAKING THE SAME Fild Sebt. 13. 1924 INVENTOR 1 ATTORNEY Patented 3,- 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cnonenn. caonu'r, or nnngeuav, comrne'rrciir, ns'srenoa PANY, or DAN'BURY, connncrrcur, A CORPORATION mm m ner or MAKme TnE 7 Application filed September To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, Gnonon H. CROFUT,

. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Danbury, in the county of Fairlield and State of Connecticut, have inventedan Improvement in Hats and Art of Making the Same, of whichwthe following is aspeclfication. I This invention relates to,hats and more 10 particularly to straw hats.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a straw hat of practical construction capable of meeting the requirements of use in a highly satisfactory manner. Another object is to provide such a hat adapted to fit comfortably upon the head of the wearer and hold its shape, Another object is .to provide a hat of the above nature which is strongly constructed and durable. Another object is to provide such a hat having an attractive appearance and capable of, retaining such appearance in use. Another object is to provide a practical and eflicient art of making such straw hats which may conveniently be carried on. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and in the several steps and relation and order. of each of the same to one or more of the others, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective of a straw hat 40 body; A A

Figure 2 shows a short length of straw braid; Figure 3 is a perspective ofthe under brim of the hat showing the-bottom surface thereof; r Figure 4.- is a vertical section showing the under brim apart from the upper portion of -the hat; y Figure 5 is a perspective showing a portion of the hat while in the process .of making vand I e igure 6 is a view of a fragment of the hat body.

, 1 13, 1924. Serial 1%. 737,458.

Similar reference characters refer to simi- TO MALLOBY. EAT COM- OF lar parts throughout the several views of the Referring now to the drawing'in detail,

there is shown in Figure 1 a perspective of a straw hat body showing the crown 10 and 'the upper surface of the brim 11. This hat 0 is made of straw braid which is coiled in a 1 spiral with its edges overlapping, the contiguous rows of the straw braid being secured together, as by stitching, to form the hat body, as will be described in detail. In Figure 2 there is shown a short lengthof the straw braid of which the hat shown in the drawing is made. This straw braid, as will be seen, is woven so as to present a substantially smooth or regular edge 12 and an irregular edge 13, the latter being shown herein as a serrated" or 'saw-toothededge. It-is to be understood that the straw braid may be of various patterns and of various forms of weaving, the irregular edge 13 thereof assuming variousforms and shapes, and that the term irregular edge as employed herein is to be interpreted throughout in a broad sense to comprehend these various shapes- Moreover, theterm smooth and forms.

edge is employed broadly to denote the edge of the straw braid other than the irregular edge.

.The straw hat shown in the drawing is preferably madewith a double brim, but it invention may be embodied crown 10 and the upper brim 11 are made in one piece and the lower or under brim 14 is separately made and subsequently secured thereto. The under brim is made preferably with an upwardly projecting rim 14' which fits within the lower portion of the crown 10, and the outer edge of the under brim mates with the outer brim 11. i

so i

edge of the upper I Thisstraw hat is of the stiffened type, the

crown and brim thereof being adapted to stiffened liy suitable means so as to be relatively hard and inflexible. is preferably brought about cation of a gelatinous stiffening This stiffening. by the applimaterial which is applied to the sewed hat. A hat which is thus rigidly stiffened throughoutis objectionable-in thatit does not 1; come.

fortably upon the head and will not conform readily to the shape of the head of the wearer. In order to overcome this objection the band portion of the hat is stiffened to a lesser extent than the remaining portions of the hat by employing thereat a weaker or diiferent stifiening, or in some instances by altogether omitting the stiffening at the band portion of the hat. By.

the band portion, it will be understood, is meant the region of. the hat substantially at the intersection of the crown and brim. By leaving this portion of the hat yielding and flexible, the band easily assumes the shape of the wearers head giving an even pressure against the head at all points and providing a comfortable fit.

- A hat of this type, however, having a stifi crown and brim and a soft yieldingband comes such difliculties as these .in an effective.

manner is one of the dominant aims of this invention. I

Referring now again to Figure 4, the straw braid comprising the crown 10 and upper brim 11 is seen to be lapped in the same direction throughout, the exposed edge.

being directed outwardly fromthe tip 15 of the hat. The braid of the under brim 14 is also lapped in the same direction throughout with the exposed edge directed outwardly toward the edge of the brim.- As is seen in Figure 1, throughout the major portion of the crown 10 and of the brim 11, the irregular edge of the braid is directed away from the' tip- 15 and overlaps the smooth edge. At the lower portion of the p Also, as shown in Figure 3, at the outer and major portion of the under brim 14, the

.laps and is exposed instead of the irregu crown and the inner side of the brim, however, or at the band portion of the hat, the smooth edge-of the braid is directed away from the tip and overlaps the irregular edge.

irregular edge is directed outwardly and overlaps the smooth edge while at the, inner portion thereof the smooth edge is directed outwardly and overlaps the irregular edge. Thus, at the band portion of the hat, the portion which is stiflened to a lesser degree than the remainderof the hat to provide a comfortable fit, the straw braid is turned edge for edge so that the smooth edge overlar edge, but the direction of the overlap 1517118 rected outwardly and overlapping smooth edge.

' shape.

same throughout. Also the kind of braid used is preferably the same throughout the hat. Furthermore, it will be noted from a consideration of Figure 2 that, irrespective of whether the smooth edge 12 orthe irregj ular' edge 13 is exposed, the conformation of the braid at both the edges 12 and 13 lends J to the hat a continuity of ornamental appearance throughout.

In making the hat, the braid is sewed starting from the button or tip 15. The end portion of the strip of braid is first tightly coiled and sewed to. form the button or tip 15, and *thereupon the braid is sewed in a machine in overlapping spiral fashion working outwardly from the tip. As the spiral is formed by thus sewing together the adjacent rows of braid the resulting structure is shaped to substantially the contour of the crown of the hat forming the top sur- 8 5 face of the crown and the side walls 10. At the start the irregular edge 13 of the braid is directed outwardly from the tip 15 and overlaps the smooth edge, this being continued to a jacent the band. Thereu'pon the strip is cut .off, preferably diagonally as indicated, and reversed edge for edge, the sewing being from this point done with the smooth edge 12 directed away from the tip and overlapping the-irregular edge 13. The "sewing is continued in this fashion to a point-17, for

example, on the brim. At this point the braid is againcut and again reversed edge for edge, the brim being completed with the irregular. edge of the braid directed butwardly and overlapping the smooth edge.

The under brim 14 is sewed starting from the inner end 18, as shown in Figure 3, with the smooth edge directed outwardly and overlapping the irregular edge. This is carried on to a point 19, for example, where the braid is cut, reversed edge for edge and sewed therefrom with the irregular edge di- In sewing the crown 10 from the tip 15 to the point 16, a concealed chain stitch is employed, as is indicated at 20 in Figure 6.

This concealed stitch is the type of stitch generally employed in sewing straw braid hats, and is of advantage in that it shows -little or not at all on the surface of the hat,

as is brought out in Figure 6. This stitch,

however, is weak in that it loops-through such a small portion of the straw'and is not strong enough to hold the slightly stiffened and flexible band portion of the hat with suflicient firmness to give it permanence of braid is sewed with a type of stitch which is stronger and more firm than the concealed stitch. *The stitch preferabl employed at this portion ofthe hat is s own'at 21 in Figure 6, and is preferalfly what is known 130 point 16, for example, ad- 90 the 110 From the point 16, therefore, the

- such manner asto be able to slide upon each 1 as a through and through "chain stitch.

This strongerstitching is em'ployed'in sewing the band portion of the hat, and ispreferably continued to the point 17, whereupon the stitch is again changed to the concealed stitch which is carried to the edge of the with a stronger and firmer stitch and there by reenforced. This reenforcement 'while not detracting from the softness'and flexibility of the band-to provide a comfortable fit, imparts such strengthto the band pol;- tion that the finished hat will, permanently retain its shape. This through and through chain stitch is of such nature that the rows of braid at the band portion are held in other, thereby contributing to the flexibility 0f the band,of the hat, but the brim is not permitted to bend and warp out of shape.

In the hat constructed as above described, at the flexible portion of the brim near the band the smooth edge. of the braid is the overlapping or exposed edge. As the hat is flexed at this portion in being handled,

therefore, the irregular edge of the braid being underneath, the points thereof do not become bent up on the upper brim nor down on the under brim so as to project and detract from the smooth finished appearance of the hat. The smooth edge 12 whichis exposed at this portion, moreover, is firmly held in place by the stitching 21.

From the above, it will be seen that there is herein provided astraw hat which attains many advantages of greatest practical importance. A stifi'ened straw hat is provided which will afiford-a comfortable fit upon the head ofthe wearer and which at the same time will permanently retain its original shape and appearance.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention and as the art herein described might be varied in various parts all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention: I

1, In straw hat construction, a straw hat comprising rows of 'strawbraid secured together and stifl'ened, the band portion being ,stifi'cned to a lesser degree than the remaining portion of the hat and the braids of said band portion being secured'together more firmly than the braids of the remaining portion of the hat.

2. In straw hat construction, astifiened straw hat having a band portion which is yielding relative to the reniaining portions k of the hat, said hat comprising rows of straw braid sewed together, said yielding band portion being sewed with a stitch differentfrom and more firm than that with which the remainder of the hat is sewed and being thereby reenforced.

3 In straw hat construction, a stifi'ene'd' straw hat having a band portioifwhich is I soft relative to the remainder of the hat,- said hat comprising rows of straw braid-j sewed together the major portion thereof being sewed with a concealed stitch and 1 said relatively soft band portion being' comprising overla ping rows of the same whichhas an irregular edge and a smooth edge, said rows..of braid being sewed. together'and stiffened, and said rows of braid overlapping so as to expose the irregular edge of the braid throughout the hat excepting for a portion adjacent the intersewed with a through and through stitch for ree-nforcement. L

i. In straw hat construction, a straw hat section of the crown and the brim .of the hat, at which portion the said braid is reversed edge foredge so as to expose the smooth edge of the braid, said portion being stiffened to a lesser degree than the remainder of the hat and being sewed with a stitch difie'rent from and more firm. than 7. In straw hat construction, a straw hat comprising overlapping rows of the same straw braid throughout, sewed together,

the major portion of the crown and brimbeing relatively stifi' and inflexible and sewed with a concealed stitch,.a nd the band portion being relatively" soft and yielding and sewed with a stitch difi'erent from and more firm than said cbncealed stitch. .8. Instraw hat construction, a hat comhaving an irregularedge and a. smooth edge,

lprisingoverl'apping rows of straw braid y said rows of brald overlapping so as to expose the irregular edge of the braid throughout the hat excepting for a portion thereof adjacent the intersection of the crown and the brim of the hat, at which portion the said braid is reversed edge for edge and the rows thereof being overlapped so as to expose the. smooth edge of the braid. 7

'9. In straw hat construction, a strawlhat comprising overlapping rows of straw braid which has an irregular edge and a smooth edge, secured together and stiffened, said rows of braid overlapping so as to expose the irregular edge of the braid throughout the hat excepting for a portion thereof adacent the intersection of the crown and the brim, said portion being stiffened to a lesser degree than the remainder of the hat and having the said braid reversed edge for edge so as to expose the smooth edge of the braid at said portion and thebraid at said portion being secured together more firmly than the braid of the remainder of the hat. r

10. In straw hat construction, ahat comprising overlapping rows of straw braid having an irregular edge and a smooth edge,

the major portion of the crown and brim being relatively stiif and inflexible and the band portion being relatively soft and flexible, said rows of straw braidbverlapping throughout the major portion of the crown and brim so as to expose the irregular edge of the braid and being reversed edge for edge at said relatively soft band portion so samestraw braid throughout and the inner as to expose the smooth edge.

11. In straw hat construction, a hat comprising overlapping rows (of straw braid having an irregular edge and a smooth edge, the upper portion ofthe crown and the outer portion of the brim being relatively stiff and inflexible and being formed with the irre'gular edge of the straw braid directed outwardly from the tip, the lower portion of the crownand the inner portion of the brim beingrelatively soft and flexible and formed with the smooth edge of the straw braid directed outwardly away from the tip.

12. In straw hat'construction, a stifl'ened straw hat comprising overlapping rows of straw braid having an irregular edge and a smooth edge, the brim being made of the portion of the brim of said hat being relatively soft and the smooth edge ofthe straw i braidoverlapping the irregular edge at said portion.

13. In straw hat construction a straw hat comprising overlapping rows of straw braid having an irregular edge and a smooth edge,

the. outer portion of the brim being relatively stifl and the inner portion of the brim being relatively soft, the irregular edge of the straw braid overlappingthe smooth edge at said outer portion and the smooth edge of the straw braid overlapping the irregular edge at said inner portion. v.

14. In straw hat construction, a straw hat having a. brim which comprises overlapping rows of straw. braid sewed together, said braid having-an irregular edge and a smooth edge, the outer portion of the brim being relatively stiif and the inner portion ofthe .brim being relatively flexible, the straw the hat and overlapping the smooth edge from the tip to a point adjacent the band, reversing the strip and sewing front said point with the smooth edge directed away from the tip and overlapping the irregular .edge.

16. The herein described art of making straw hats, which consists in sewing a strip of straw braid having an irregular edge and" a smooth edge in a spiral with the irregular edge thereof directed away from the tip of the hat and overlapping the smooth edge from the tip to a pointadjacentthe band, reversing said strip and sewing from said point to a point on the brim with the smooth edge of thestrip directed away from the tip and overlapping the irregular edge, again reversing the strip and sewing from said second pomt to the edge of the brim with the irregular edge of the strip directed away fgom the tip and overlapping the smooth e ge.

17. The herein describedart of making straw hats, which consists in sewing a strip of straw braid having an irregular edge and a smooth edge in a spiral with the smooth edge thereof directed outwardly-away from the tip of the hat and overlapping the irregular edge from the band portion of the hat to a point on the brim, reversing the strip and sewing from said point to the edge of the brim with. the irre ular edge of the strip directed outwardly from the tip and overlapping the smooth edge.

18. The herein described art of making straw hats, which consists in sewing with a concealed stitch a'strip-of straw braid ha ing an irregular edge and a smooth edge in I aspiral with the irregular edge thereof di-. rected away from the tip of the hatv and overlappin the smooth edge fromthe tip to a point a jacent the band, reversing the strip and sewing from said point with a overlapping the irregular edge.

19. The herein described art of making straw hats, which consists in sewing, in a spiral and with a suitable stitch, a strip of straw braid having an irregular edge and a smooth edge,with the irregular edge overlapping the smooth edge, to a point adjacent the hand, reversing the strip'so that the smooth edge overlaps the irregular edge, and continuing the sewing of the spiral from said point on but with a stitch different from and more firm than said first-mentioned stitch.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 4th day of September, 1924.

GEORGE H. CROFUT. 

